Fuge or no fuge

[AJreefs]

I am considering rebuilding my sump on my sps system and want to find out if I should seriously be considering adding a refugium to the plans.


Why is it beneficial or not necessary on an sps tank?

What has allowed you to reach the conclusion?

What sizes are needed for a beneficial change with in the tank?

What should be added to the area?

 

[kuyatwo]

When I switched to biopellets I took the refuge out as I was not getting any new macronalgae growth


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[strange33w]

It kinda depends on what you plan to use the fuge for. I use mine for food for my fish. I have mostly Ulva down in the fuge which I plan to feed to tangs once I add some. I also have pods down there as well for a future mandarin pair. For it to be a big nutrient export it needs to be large but I am going with every little bit helps.

 

[Young Frankenstein]

a fuge is a must, saving $ on chemicals and going the natural way of nitrate phosphate removal.

 

[Razor]

I have a refugium plumbed into my system,I feed it from the DT(plumbed).. It surface skims and the outlet water from the refugium falls in the sumps return section which sends it back to the DT.. Mine is a substrateless refugium topped with chaetomorpha for keeping nutrients in check..:angel:

 

[TypeR632]

Sorry to hijack the thread. Is there a formula to figure out fuge size and flow? Say with Chaeto? I'm trying to figure out how to plumb mine into my sump while I'm setting up my system.

 

[macawmagic]

I will never setup a system without a fuge. I think a fuge, skimmer, and some carbon/gfo make an awesome filtration system. I usually also use filter socks as they'll manually catch any junk that goes down the drains.

 

[TypeR632]

But don't the filter socks keep the Copepods and other things from circulating back to the fuge? Or does that matter?

 

[macawmagic]

I would imagine yes, but the copepods are supposed to grow in the fuge and get pumped up for food for the tank. I guess if there's too many or they somehow make they're way back down without getting eating then they would die...but I really don't see that being a problem. Just gotta keep the socks clean to get the garbage outta the water.

 

[Razor]

But don't the filter socks keep the Copepods and other things from circulating back to the fuge? Or does that matter?

That doesnot matter and you want the copepods in the DT itself..

There is a thumbrule of making the refugium 10% of your total tank volume,but I hav never followed that Make a refuge that suffices your need,Like if you keep chaeto it will grow out to the size of a baseball..

 

[SteezySPS]

chaeto fuge all the way. It is extremely effective from my own experience. never used phosphate media reactors and never will except maybe for cycling live rock in a new tank

 

[REEFKEEPER10]

Cheato does best if it tumbles but as long as you manually do it from time to time your good. You don't want that much flow in your fuge. Just enough to keep it from going stagnant.

 

[fishguy95]

I would suggest you get the largest refugium you can. I have a 55gal display tank with a standard 29 gallon tank for my refugium. I have a single 150 watt CFL bulb for light. My light cycle is oppisite the display tank, 12 hours on and 12 hours off. I have cheato and some other kind of macro algae. I also use a large protein skimmer rated for 150 gallons- it has its own section to flows into the 29 gallon. A large refugium allows it to better counter act the ph swing at night. I run an sps dominant system.

 

[wysiwyg]

a fuge is one of the best natural ways to remove phosphates/nitrates it also grows natural foods for your herbivores/omnivores as well as serving for a good breeding ground for your pods. i have a 40g planted refugium with a 3 inch crushed coral bed on a 180g. i grow caulerpa,chaeto,ulva lettuce,gracealara, turtle grass and halmida. i have dual over flows one goes into my sum 1 goes into my fuge my fuge is connected to my sump via bulkheads and 1 inch pvc. would never go without my fuge

 

[Razor]

a fuge is one of the best natural ways to remove phosphates/nitrates it also grows natural foods for your herbivores/omnivores as well as serving for a good breeding ground for your pods. i have a 40g planted refugium with a 3 inch crushed coral bed on a 180g. i grow caulerpa,chaeto,ulva lettuce,gracealara, turtle grass and halmida. i have dual over flows one goes into my sum 1 goes into my fuge my fuge is connected to my sump via bulkheads and 1 inch pvc. would never go without my fuge

Im doing the same type of plumbing in my new tank...

 

[AJreefs]

wow, I might have to do some research into adding a refugium to a tank. I have been considering buying a all in one sump but they seem rather expensive

 

[reefhobo]

I wish I ran a refugium on my DT. Not i regret not have it.

 

[reefhobo]

I meant to say that I do regret not having it.

I wish I ran a refugium on my DT. Not i regret not have it.

 

[AJreefs]

I meant to say that I do regret not having it.

I agree with you but it's difficult to add a refugium 2 a 40 gallon tank

that is considered big enough to be useful.

 

[wysiwyg]

Im doing the same type of plumbing in my new tank...

run your plumbing from your fuge str8 across into your sump that way you let gravity feed your sump